"I see myself finishing my career with Bayern"

Franck Ribéry casually slipped into an interview with Sport Bild that he very nearly signed for Barcelona, although the interest passed. "Last season we beat Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-final. There was a time when it's true that I could have left for Real Madrid or Barcelona," explained the Frenchman.

"But that's over now. On a sporting level, Bayern Munich is up there with them, and as a club I think that Bayern is even better than Barcelona or Real Madrid," he added.

Ribéry added that he's considering ending his career in Germany: "in my heart, it's clear. You should hear what my wife says in France about the city and the club. She's thrilled. I see myself finishing my career with Bayern. I'm convinced that I couldn't be happier anywhere else,"